Baby carriage



B. L. BLANCHARD Dec. 2, 1930.

BABY CARRIAGE 5 Z 3 g mw w a5 B a Patented Dec. 2, 1930 f UNITED STATES MASSACHUSETTS Application iled April 15,

I This invention relates to baby carriages and the object is to provide in such a carriage a body having a drop front which will bev of superior appearance and possess advan-V a baby carriage showing the front end or foot of the body; and l e l Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. l, I have there shown the body` 8 as provided at the foot lthereof with a panel 5 hinged at its lower end and adapted to be `lowered to provide an extension of the reclining surface withinv the body'. rlvhis panel closes up within a frame-like opening 7 and in this lposition forms a part of. therear end surface of the body as a whole.

It is important in babycarriages that they have an attractive appearance, and it isalso desirable to avoid projections which might catch the clothing of the nurse or the bedding used in the carriage. To obtain these advantages, bothV aesthetic and practical, I provide for retaining the hinged panel in closed position by means of a Vlatching mechanism received Wholly between the front and rear surfaces of the end of the carriage and embodyl ing a small, unobstrusivebut.convenient operating means exposed at the upper edge. Such latching means may conveniently take the form shown more specifically in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, in the uppergcrossframe member 9 of the panel 5 there may be provided a bevelled end'latch bolt 11 sliding in the cylindrical casing 13 received in a bored hole in the frame member 9. The bolt is normally projected by the spring 15 interposed between the bottom of the casing j and the bolt 11, the latter being retained in position by the shank 17 extending from the rear thereof through the bottom of the casing and provided with head 19. A key-way 21 in the side of the bolt may receive key 23 emunderstood by BEBTON L. BLANCHARD, or LECMINSTEB, MASSACHU'IsnT'rSASSIGrNoR` To n. A. WHIT- NEY CARRIAGE COMPANY, on LEoMrNSTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or BABY CABRTAGE leas.. sieriaififrlq.355,ots.f

bossed inwardly fromthefcasing 13 and hold i the bevel-facing in the proper direction.V

`nfientlwith `a keeper `plate 25 secured on the opposed'frame member 27,4 `To provide for They bolt is :adapted to snap into engage` disengagement of the bolt the' frame member 2T( may be bored through from its upper edge in alignment with-*thebolt 11 in the closed position of the panel 5 to receive acasing 29 Vin which worksa plunger 3l Which4 may be depressed to repress the bolt ont of engage inentwith the-keeper. 4Herein the body of the Vcasing29isia'nnularlyl embossedinwardly to form a shoulder 38 supporting the plunger in its retracted positionv of Fig. 2 against the ,force of a'retracting spring 35 which may be interposedbe'tween said shoulder and a handle, button or knob '37 connected to the plungerb'odyflby a steml 39.

The handle 37 is exposed at the upper edge 'fof the body and constitutes the sole exposed element of 4the latch mechanismfand 'when depressed it represses bolt 11, freeingit from 'thelreeper fand 'permitting the panel to vbe opened.' It. will be seenthat-the structure is very neat, the `rear face of the carriage beingv lin no way marred by extraneous attachments,

and that projecting/parts are eliminated. e

' I prefetto arrange thejparts in such man-A 'ner that; opening of the panel 5v requires an vadditional movement after depressing`v Athe handle 37. 1 It' will be noted that with the structure shownin performingthe latter ac* vtion no substantial opening-force is' exertedv ,Y ,on the closure, as isy the case? of a directly operated bolt "mounted on `the closure itself.

Thus the likelihoodk of an infant in playing releasingvthe drop end to fall'open and strike him is minimized. i

I am aware that the invention may `be emi bodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit Vor, essential attributes Y thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsh 1. vIn arbaby carriage body a drop front oio closing within a frame-like opening, a spring projected bolt received between the faces of said front, a keeper on the opposed edge of the frame, and a releasing device housed be* tween the faces of the frame and having an operating handle exposed at the upper mar- :in of the body and operable to repress the olt.

2. In a baby carriage body a drop front closing within a frame-like opening, a spring projected bolt received between the faces of said front, a keeper on the opposed edge of the frame, and a spring retracted plunger housed in said frame in alignment with the bolt in the closed position of the front and having an end project-ing at the upper portion of the body by which it may be depressed to unlatch the bolt and constituting the sole projecting portion of the latching device.

3. A baby carriage body having an opening in its end framed by sides, bottom and a top, a drop front hinged at its lower edge and closing into said opening, and a latching mechanism between the upper edge of said front and the top piece of the frame organized between the inner and outer bounding surfaces of said parts and comprising a plunger extending through the upper edge of said top piece to provide an operating handle thereat, said handle constituting the sole proj ecting porti on of the latching mechanism.

4. A baby carriage body having an opening in its end framed by sides, bottom and a top, drop front hinged at its lower edge and closing into said opening, and a latching mechanism between said front and the opposed frame member comprising a latch bolt and operating means therefor, said mechanism being received between the inner and `outer bounding surfaces of said end and having a. handle carried by and projecting from the edge of said frame member, said handle being depressible to release the latching mechanism and constituting the sole exposed portion thereof, said handle effective to exert solely an unlatching movement of the bolt to prepare the front for additional manipulation to open the same whereby the possibility of accidental opening of the front on inadvertent actuation of the handle is minimized.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

BERTON L. BLANCHARD. 

